Glassware takeout mechanism



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April 30, 1 935. A. J. SMITH GLASSWARE TAKEOUT MECHANISM Filed July 20, 1932 April 30, 1 935.

A. J. SMITH GLASSWARE TAKEQUT MECHANISM 1 Filed July 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnuym l In can for Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE GLASSWARE TAKEOUT MECHANISM Algy J. Smith, Bloomfield, Conn., assignor to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application July 20, 1932, Serial No. 623,490

6 Claims.

during the discharge of were therefrom, as for example the Owens suction machine.

Heretofore, the customary practice in discharging ware from such machines has been to open the molds, permitting the ware to tip over and fall freely by gravity into a chute or other-receiver.

Butthis manner of discharging the ware from the machine may result in injury to the ware; it may become scratched and perhaps even deformed as a result of dropping on its side-if allowed to rest on its side it might be locally chilled to an extent suflicient to set up harm ful strain in the ware. Furthermore, this free discharge of the ware makes automatic stacking of the ware in the lehr almost impossible, or at least impracticable.

The general object of this invention is to provide a novel automatic takeout mechanism for removing the ware from inclined finishing molds, this mechanism being of relatively simple construction, but adapted to remove the ware positively and place it bottom-down on a conveyor in predetermined sequence and with a minim risk of injury to the ware.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism of the above character which may comprise a pair of arms, each carrying a pair of tongs, and being moved alternately in the path of inclined finishing molds for the removal of the ware and into a position for the delivery of the ware in vertical position to a conveyor or other receiver. pair of tongs is moved with a mold, the other pair may deliver ware to the conveyor, this permitting removal of ware at high speed. The tongs may be adapted to handle a plurality of articles in each operation, which is. very advantageous in taking out ware from plural cavity mold units. The tongues also may be moved upwardly periodically to raise the ware from the bottom plates of the finishing molds.

In order that the invention may be better understood and its various advantages appreciated, reference should be had to J the accompanying drawings, in which a convenient embodiment thereof is illustrated.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a developed view of takeout mechanism embodying the invention, in which parts which are in fact angularly related, as shown in Fig. 2, are shown in front elevation as if not angularly related, for convenience in illustration; l

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan of the mechanism As one of Fig.1.. and illustrating the angular relation of the parts shown as if parallel in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical transverse section of a lower portion of the tongs mechanism, and.

taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but taken at right angles thereto and showing structure directly above that in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in horizontal section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views in horizontal section taken on lines 6-6 and 'l-| respectively of Fig. 1, and showing valve mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 4.

Considering the drawings in detail, a finishing mold I0 is shown in the inclined position which it assumes for the discharge of ware therefrom and while traveling in a circular path as indi-' cated by the line AA. The mold l0 may be of the plural cavity type, such as is commonly used on the Owens suction machine, it being under;- stood that said mold is one of a large number which periodically pass through the takeout zone for the discharge of glassware.

From such molds, the ware may be removed by the mechanism of this invention which may comprise two pairs of grippers I l and I2 respectively, which operate alternately for this purpose and place the ware in pairs on a belt conveyor l3 or other receiver, for transportation to the lehr. To accomplish this, the tongs may be caused to travel in an orbital path, such as is indicated at B C D E in Fig. 2, to which end they are mounted on the downwardly diverging arms l4 and i5 of a carrier l 6 pivoted at IT on a rotary and reciprocatory sleeve I8. The sleeve or tubular shaft l8 is'formed in two parts, and is journaled in bearings I9 and 2| in vertically spaced arms 22 and 23 on pedestal 24.

It will be understood that rotation of sleeve it serves to revolve or rotate the tongs, and for this purpose, the sleeve carries a spur gear 25 bolted to a two-part coupling 26 which joins the two parts of thesleeve. Gear 25 carries two cams 21 on its under side which periodically ride over a stationary roller 28 on arm 22 to raise and lower the tongs at appropriate times, and for the purposes hereinafter described.

Said gear is driven by a similar gear 29 on the upper end of a vertical cam shaft M in turn driven by horizontal shaft 32 through bevel gears 33, 33a. Shaft 32 is connected to a suitable driving means,. n0t shown.

As carrienlli is rotated, the tongs are caused to travel in the desired path by the oscillation of carrier IE on pivot H, and by the rotary or oscillatory movements of each pair of tongs in its arm M or IE. Oscillation of carrier H5 is caused primarily by the reciprocation of piston 34 in cylinder 35 formed on the upper part oi! sleeve l8. Piston 34 actuates rod 36, formed in two parts for convenience in assembling, the lower part 36a of which is bent upwardly in a right angle and joined by links 31 to a lug on carrier I5. When the piston is down, tongs II are held outwardly in inclined position and revolved rapidly while the tongs I! are held inwardly and rotate slowly axially of sleeve l8 and in horizontal position over conveyor l3, and vice versa.

The stroke of the piston 34 may be varied by a nipple 34a adjustable in the top of cylinder :35, and by nuts 341) on the upper end of piston rod 36.

Cylinder 35 both rotates and reciprocates with sleeve l8, being steadied in its movements by a vertical guide 38 which extends and slides between lugs 39 on bearing 2|, said guide together, with strips 4| holding bearings 42 and 43 for the cylinder in vertically spaced relation.

The reciprocation of piston 34 is effected by the admission and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the opposite ends of cylinder 35 through conduits 44 and 45 which communicate with the cylinder through the bearings 42 and 43. These conduits have adjustable check valves 46 therein for regulating and cushioning the strokeof the piston, which is under the primary control of a pneumatic piston valve 41 having an inlet pipe 48 for live air and exhaust ports 49 for the release of air from said conduits.

From pipe 48 live air escapes through bleed duct in the piston 52 of the valve 4'! to the ends of the valve casing, where pressure builds up. When this pressure is vented from the upper or lower end of the valve through conduit 53 or 54 respectively, the pressure at the opposite end of the valve moves the piston up or down. The venting of pipes 53 and 54 is effected by springseated valves 55 and 56, operated periodically by cams 51 and 58 on cam shaft 3|.

The cams open and close the valves at the appropriate times, so that arm I6 is oscillated on rotary pivot l1 whenever it is necessary to swing one pair of tongs from takeout position to delivery position, and the other pair from delivery position into inclined position for travel toward an oncoming finishing mold. The last mentioned pair of tongsassumed to be tongs II on arm l4 for descriptive purposeswill thus begin to revolve rapidly because of its being at a relatively great radial distance from the axis of shaft I8, and will movein path B ;C concentric with said axis. a v

Path BC intersectspath A A of the finishing mold unit, and when the tongs ll arrive at C, movement is imparted thereto to cause them to travel while inclined substantially about the axis of the finishing mold carrier (not shown) and substantially in the path C D, and while so traveling, the tongs preferably are held in radial alignment with the cavities of the finishing mold unit.- Such operations are accomplished by the following means.

Located adjacent the path 'of the carrier I6 is cam 59, secured for radial adjustment to bracket 6|, mounted for vertical adjustment on bearing [9. Cam 59 acts in two ways upon the tongs to control their position in the takeout zone: first it moves them in and down and then out and up by slightly oscillating carrier 16 on its pivot l1, and it also imparts rotary movement to the tongs in their supporting arm against the action of a tension spring 60 extending between the tongs and normally holding them in radial alignment with each other. Both movements result from the engagement with the cam of rollers 62 on a crosshead 63 connected to the upper end of a spindle 54 (Fig. 3) journaled in the arm .which supports the tongs, as for example, arm l5 of tongs l2. It will be understood that the tongs H and their mountings and operating means are identical in construction with tongs l2 and associated parts.

At its lower end, spindle 64 carries cylinder 65 containing piston 66 which opens and closes the tongs. The tongs are pivoted on the bottom of cylinder 65 and opened by the admission of air through duct 61, spindle 64, thence into cylinder 65. Exhaust of such air permits a spring 68 to close the tongs.

Cam 59 is so shaped and located-being preterably cylindrical and concentric with path A A of the finishing mold-as to effect the in and down and up and out movements of the tongs as they revolve from C to D. A radial component of movement of the tongs with respect to their axis of revolution thus is obtained as a result of which the tongs substantially follow -the path A A of the finishing mold from C to D. At the same time, the tongs are turned in their arm (M or 15) first in one direction to align them radially with the necks of the ware in the finishing mold unit, then in the other direction to maintain such alignment as they are being closed about the ware, this assuring a smooth and eflicient operation and preventing injury to the glassware as it is taken out.

The cam rollers 62 are yieldingly held in engagement with cam 59 by air entrapped in one end or the other of cylinder 35, depending upon which pair of tongs is in takeout position, there being sufficient clearance at the ends of the strokes of piston 34 for this purpose. The above described provisions for adjusting the length and timing of the strokes of piston 34 may be utilized for so maintaining the rollers 62 in engagement with cam 59. The tongs are caused to close intermediate C and D by the exhaust of air through cally by two-part adjustable cams 15 and 16 on I earn shaft 3|. Valves 13 and 14 receive live air from pipe 71 for delivery to pipes II and 12 when the valves are opened by the cams;-.

otherwise the valves permit air to exhaust from the pipes H and 12 through their respective valve-controlled exhaust ports, one of which ports is seen'at 18, Fig. 6. Said valves are of,

known type and need not be further described.

When a pair of tongs, for example tongs H, is traveling along path C D of Fig. 2, cam 15 closes valve 13, or permits it to close, exhausting air from cylinder 66 and causing tongs II to be closed by spring 63 about the necks oi the ware while traveling therewith. The finishing mold 1 unit preferably is cracked just beiore the tongs close. Said unit is then opened, the tongs holding the ware for the stripping of the molds therefrom, and a cam 21 comes into engagement with roller 28, which raises shaft l8 and lifts the ware-from the bottom plates of the mold unit. Almost immediately, piston 34 comes into action,

-- oscillating carrier IS on its pivot I1 and swinging (5 I tongs H and the ware from takeout to delivery position over conveyor B, with the assistance of the rotation of shaft l8. The tongs may thus be caused to travel along a resultant path such as shown at D E, Fig. 2. It will be understood that this movement of the tongs from takeout position to delivery position is so timed, and the tongs moved at such speed as to prevent the bottoms of the articles from striking each other, as they might otherwise do, when, for example, the articles are loosely held by the tongs, as is preferred though not essential.

It willbe understood that as the tongs leave the takeout position, spring 60 restores the tongs to their normal radial position so that by the time they arrive above the conveyor, they and the ware are in line with the conveyor, which is of course properly positioned to that end. The tongs may be opened at the instant the swing of carrier IS on pivot l1 terminates, and it is preferred, though not necessary, that the tongs be lowered just prior to opening by cam 21 leaving roller 28, to prevent shock to the ware as it is released to the conveyor.

When one pair of tongs is being swung from D to E, the other pair is moved from E to B in the path substantially as shown in Fig. 2, and into their outermost position. The outerwardly held tongs travel relatively fast from B to D, whereas lehr stacker (not shown) in predetermined sequence.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and mode of operation of my novel takeout mechanism without departing, from the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended-and although my invention has been illustrated and described for use with plural cavity molds,,or' mold units, it is to be understood that use thereof with single cavity molds or mold units is contemplated. It will be apparent that my invention is of particular utility in taking out panel glassware from either plural or single cavity molds, and also that only one pair of tongs need be used when the glassware taken out is produced at low speed.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In glassware handling machinery including a traveling finishing mold held inclined for the removal of glassware therefrom, takeout mechanism comprising apair of tongs, a vertical shaft provided with a horizontal pivot, a carrier for the tongs mounted on said pivot, means for rotating the shaft about its vertical axis, means for oscillating the-carrier aboutsaid horizontal pivot, and means for so timing the last-named means that the tongs first are revolved in a path adjacent that of the finishing mold for taking out the ware in said mold, and then are swung away from the mold and toward said vertical axis into a ware delivery position.

2. In glassware handling machinery including traveling finishing molds held inclined for the removal of glassware therefrom, takeout mechanism compiising two pairs of tongs, a carrier for the tongs, downwardly diverging members on the carrier upon which the tongs are respectively mounted, means for rotating the carrier about a vertical axis, means for, oscillating said carrier about a horizontal axis, and means for timing said last-named means so that the pairs of tongs are successively revolved in a path adjacent that of the finishing molds in a takeout zone for' taking out the ware in said molds, and are successively swung .away'i'rom said molds toward said vertical axis into a ware delivery position.

3. In glassware handling machinery including 4. In glassware handling machinery including a traveling finishing mcld held inclined for the removal of glassware therefrom, takeout mechanism comprising a pair of tongs, means for rotating said tongs on a vertical axis in horizontal waredelivery position, means for oscillating said tongs away from and toward said vertical axis into and out of an inclined takeout position and into and out of said horizontal delivery position, and means operable while the tongs are in inclined takeout position and traveling adjacent the path of the finishing mold for imparting a horizontal component of motion thereto radially of said vertical axis to cause them substantially to follow the path of the finishing mold'while removing ware therefrom.

5. In glassware handling machinery including a traveling finishing mold held inclined for the removal of glassware therefrom, takeout mechanism comprising a pair of tongs, means for rotating said tongs about a vertical axis, means for oscillating said tongs away from and toward said vertical axis into inclined takeout and horizontal delivery positions, means operating'while the tongs are in inclined position for imparting a, horizontal component of motion thereto to cause them substantially to follow the path of the finishing mold, and means for imparting rotary movement to the tongs to hold them substantially in radial alignment with the ware in the finishing mold.

6. In glassware handling machinery including traveling finishing molds held inclined for the removal of glassware therefrom, takeout mechanism comprising two pairs of tongs, a carrier for the tongs, means for rotating said carrier about a vertical axis, means for oscillating said carrier to alternately position the pairs of tongs in inclined takeout and horizontal delivery positions so that the tongs are successively revolved adjacent the path of the finishing molds and successively moved away from said path into delivery position, means for imparting a. horizontal component of motion to each pair of tongs as it moves through the takeout zone to cause its path to approximate that of the finishing molds, means for imparting rotary movement to the tongs to maintain them substantially in radial alignment with the ware in the mold with which they cooperate, and means for closing and opening the tongs when in takeout and delivery positions respectively. i

ALGY J. SMITH. 

